


Cafe Lamont

by The_Anonymous_Shadow



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Anal Sex, Brief description of violence, Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Modern AU, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Slice of Life, Slow Build, age gap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 01:03:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15740952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Anonymous_Shadow/pseuds/The_Anonymous_Shadow
Summary: The floor is a shiny walnut wood clean enough to eat off if you so wanted. The tables have their chairs turned on top waiting to be placed back down for the day’s service, but they will have to wait a couple more hours or so yet. I scan over to the wall to ceiling book case opposite the front counter and admire the books lined up tidy and organized.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> *Repost*

Café Lamont

Chapter One

My body wakes itself up like clockwork at 5:30 AM, the same time it does every day. I stretch lean my body under the covers, toes stretched and arms pulled high above my head feeling my muscles strain and quiver. I ruffle my black hair and rub the sleep from my eyes trying to chase away the drowsiness of waking up. Sitting up I fling the covers off of myself and let out a sigh of contentment at the mild temperature in the room. Winter has finally gone leaving spring in its stead.

I hop out of bed and make my way to the bathroom, rinse the foul morning taste from my mouth and get dressed in black jogging pants and a t-shirt. I slip on some light blue socks and step into my running shoes before making my way downstairs through the narrow staircase leading from my upstairs living area to the lower floor housing my pride and joy, my Café.

As I Emerge downstairs to the main floor I glance around admiring the quiet early morning light streaming through the large front window shades that had been left partially closed. The shiny, walnut wood floor is clean enough to eat off of if you so desired to. The tables have their chairs turned on top waiting to be placed back down for the day’s service, but they will have to wait a couple more hours or so. I scan over to the wall to ceiling bookcase opposite the front counter and admire the books lined up tidy and organized. I make my way over to the counter on the other side of the room that’s accompanied by a medium sized display clean of the muffins and cupcakes that will soon fill its space. Going behind the counter I grab the things I need to take with me on my morning run. Water bottle, phone, earbuds, keys and of course, my wallet.

Finally ready, I exit through the front double doors leaving the closed sign in place and glance up at the sign hanging above the doors in wrought iron that reads Café Lamont. I lock the doors and set off briskly walking to warm up before starting to run. It’s a little chillier than I thought it would be but it’s sure to warm up a little as the day goes on. The cobbled streets of this small town are well kept, the buildings bright and clean, permeating a relaxing, sleepy atmosphere that’s been present since I moved here with my mother when I was younger.

Checking the time I realize there’s only 45 minutes or so before my employees should be showing up; I open my music app, select my workout playlist and slip the earbuds into my ears and select the playlist I created for my workouts. Within seconds, Deftones lead singer Chino Moreno’s sexy melodic voice is sending me straight to another place entirely, allowing my mind to clear and body to wake up. As I run, buildings and familiar people getting ready for the day fly past me. Hardly anything seems to have changed in this quiet French town for the past 30 years that I’ve been living here. I run through the town and eventually make it to the outskirts where the fields and pastures reside along with the church and cemetery.

I slow down to a jog as I enter the cemetery gates and weave my way through the paths of the headstones, passing my mother's stone, offering a small wave and continue until I’m standing in front of his grave. I’m breathing hard from the run so I sit down next to the relatively new gravestone and gulp down the water I brought with me. I lean bodily against the stone and rest my head against it as I cool down.

I close my eyes and quiet my breathing, sucking air in through my nose and breathing out through my mouth. The stone is smooth and cool against the heated skin of my neck and cheek as I listen to the rustle of the branches and grass against the wind; I hear the birds that have already arrived for spring sharing their songs with one another and open my eyes to look up at the sky to find it clear with the promise of a bright day once the sun fully emerges.

I scoot over and lay myself down in front of his grave and just relax next to it, taking in nature and the peace I feel when I visit him. I don’t always come and sit here with him; some days are just harder than others even though it’s been five years already.

I look over to the words on the stone, ‘Lucas T. Lamont, beloved friend, brother and companion, January First, 1985 – June Fifteenth, 2012’

I pat the words with my hand, “I can’t believe you would have been thirty this year, my birthday just passed a couple weeks ago…. thirty-three now, I feel so old, Lucas.” I slowly sit up and face the stone, eyes glued to my crossed legs, “So, Jade keeps trying to set me up. Everyone she tries to set me up with are all in their early twenties, I feel weird thinking about dating someone so young when I’m so much older than them. I know age doesn’t really matter these days but, it’s just so strange. All I can think about is how adorable you were when you were that young and all the time we spent together, the things we accomplished.” I take another drink of water, “I do have to admit though, the longer time passes the more I feel a deep loneliness setting in, I just never thought I’d have to date again. I planned on growing old with you, seeing our dream Café continue to grow and become everything we imagined it would be, you know?”

I look up from my lap and stare at the stone willing it to talk back to me, but I know it won’t. I let the tears stream slowly down my face, knowing its best to just let it out. I tried keeping my grief in during the first year but that just about got me killed. I couldn’t take the pain and tried to stop the pain and loneliness in the only way I thought I could. Luckily I had friends who stayed close and stopped me in time. Since then I’ve refused to keep my emotions bottled up thinking about how sad Lucas would have been if I had succeeded, so I make it a habit to come talk to him like this a few times a week. It’s still feels like there’s a crater where my heart lies that Lucas used to fill, it’s been 5 years and it still hurts. I worry it’ll never feel whole again sometimes. I let out a heavy sigh and get up, dusting myself off and checking the time again. I’ll have to hurry back to help with prep.

I kiss my fingers and brush the top of the stone, saying goodbye to Lucas’s grave and jog back home.

It’s about 6:25 AM once I make it back to the Café so there should still be plenty of time to help the other two finish up prep work before we need to open. I walk in happy to find the doors are unlocked telling me at least one of them is on time this morning. I slip inside hearing the light jingle of the tiny doorbell hanging above the doors. I walk upstairs first and shower quickly; I throw on black slacks and comfortable white button-down shirt and slip on my black dress shoes. I style my hair just so; the sides are shaved close while the top is long enough to swoop back and out of the way. I leave my headphones and wallet on my dresser. I slip my clear framed reading glasses on to my shirt to hang on the highest button before heading back downstairs. I head behind the counter and open the kitchen door slipping on my simple clean black apron with the store’s name in French script on the upper right.

The kitchen isn’t overlarge but big enough for at least four cooks with plenty of elbow room and counter space. Jade and Tess are already hard at work, Tess prepping sandwich fixings and placing them into containers and Jade pouring batter into a cupcake sheet. Jade looks up and smiles widely, “Good morning Link!” she says, causing Tess to look up and wave sleepily.

Jade wiggles excitedly and a bark a laugh at her. I walk over to her and place a hand on her head, “Good morning Jade!” Her smile gets even wider as she goes back to pouring the batter out evenly. I walk over to Tess and pat her on the back, “Hey Tess, glad to see you’re on time today!” I laugh at her as she yawns widely in response.

I inspect the two ovens along with the pots cooking on top, checking to make sure the food is on track for the morning and rest of the day. I’m pleased to find the muffins and cupcakes are either ready or almost there, some racks of them cooling off already. The soup for the day is creamy tomato bisque, perfect for the chilly weather. We also serve ready to make sandwiches and simple dishes like pasta, sausages and eggs, that type of thing. Everything is organically grown by local farmers.

I make my way back to the front with a tray of different muffins and start setting up the display case. Once finished, I begin prepping the coffee and get all the coffee syrups and toppings ready and set out. I then head around to the quaint dining area and take the chairs off the tables setting them on the floor, giving them a wipe down as well making sure everything is tidy. I make my way over to the large bookshelf and check that all the books are lined up nicely and see if I need to place an order for any extras.

Once satisfied that the dining area is clean and ready I look to the large clock on the wall above the double doors. It’s already 6:50 AM. I walk over to the doors and flip the closed sign to open, figuring it’s fine if we open a little early today, glancing up I look through the window and am a little shocked to see a man outside the doors already waiting.

The man is unfamiliar to me, which is surprising considering this is a small town; I know almost everyone or have at least seen them before. I quickly open the door and motion him in, “Welcome Sir and good morning, please come in!” I smile kindly at him and he stares at me briefly before offering a small smile in return. I take note of his appearance as he walks in looking around the Café.

First of all, he’s gigantic, he must have at least a good 5 inches or more over my own respectable 6-foot-tall stature. He’s wearing some sort of security guards uniform much like Jade’s sister, the man also has a very nicely trimmed but bushy beard that is brown with hints of red in it. His skin is on the pale side with a hint of a tan to it and the hair I can see poking out beneath his hat is a nice dirty blonde color.

The man clears his throat and my eyes snap down to his as I was busy studying his hair, “Nice to meet you, my name’s Rhett.” He holds out his hand and I automatically take it and then lean in kissing the air on either side of his face. When I pull back Rhett’s face is red, and I can’t help but giggle at how cute the giant man looks.

I let go of his hand, “My name is Link, and this is my Café. Sorry if I startled you, I prefer to greet everyone like that even if they are new.” Rhett seems to relax a bit his face going back to a normal shade. “Please, come take a look at the menu, you look hungry and a little tired. Can I get you a coffee?” I walk behind the counter and hand him one of the single sheet menus we have containing the items we constantly carry. I point behind me at the chalkboard, “Here are our specials for today as well, take your time.”

Rhett nods, “I’ll take a black coffee for now, thank you.” I nod at him and start getting his order ready.

Once I finish pouring it and set it on the counter in-between us, he sets the menu down, “I’ll take the meat breakfast platter, it sounds good.”

I smile at him, “Great choice, that’s pretty popular. I’m sure you’ll love it,” I point behind him, “Go ahead and take a seat wherever, I’ll bring it out in just a few minutes.” Rhett smiles back warmly at me and takes his coffee, calmly walking over to a table near the front windows where the sun is now shining in. I can’t help but think to myself that he has a really nice smile.

I make my way through kitchen door and ask Jade to grab me the meat platter ingredients. I head over to one of the stove and get what I need to start cooking the food. “Tess could you watch the counter for me while I cook this for our guest please?”

Tess gives me a questioning look, “You sure you’ll be able to handle it boss?”

I roll my eyes at her, “Yes I think I’ll be just fine, I’ve been practicing, and you have helped me a lot, if I need you I’ll holler.” Tess giggles and walks out shaking her head.

Jade bounces up and down, her sweet brown eyes looking up at me, “Who’s our first guest?”  
I start to cook the sausage and bacon, “It’s actually someone new, his name is Rhett. Believe it or not the man is an actual giant! He must be over 6 foot 5.” Jade’s eyes go a bit wide, “Oh, actually he’s wearing a similar outfit to Barbara’s, I wonder if they work at the same place.”

Jade laughs nervously and heads back to finish washing dishes. I quirk an eye brow at her, but decide I’ll ask her about her suspicious behavior later.

Once I finish cooking the eggs--only burning them and having to start over once--along with the rest I plate it up and grab the silverware. I walk out to the front and find a couple regulars have shown up. Tess is busy preparing coffees behind the counter. I smile and offer a good morning to the new arrivals as I pass by.

I get over to Rhett’s table and he looks up at me as I set down the plate. I give him his silverware and napkin as well, my face splits into a grin as I watch him take a deep inhale of the platter of food, almost drooling at how delicious it looks. “So if you don’t mind me asking are you new to this town? I have seen pretty much everyone who lives here but I’ve not seen you before.”

Rhett leans back in his chair a bit setting his napkin over his lap, “I’ve actually been here for a few months now, but I was working the graveyard shift over at the indoor shopping mall down the road. Someone I work with recommended this place to me so I figured I’d check it out today since I just got off.”

“Oh I see, no wonder you looked tired. Well I’m glad you decided to come in. I actually know someone who works there, do you know Barbara?” I cock my head in question at him.

Rhett seems to perk up a bit, “Yea actually, that’s who recommended this place; She said her little sister works here.”

I smile warmly at him, “Ah, that would be Jade. Well I hope you enjoy it, I’m glad we met. I’ll let you get to eating.” I pat his shoulder and notice his face blushes a little when I do, ‘How adorable.’ He has a very muscular build if his thick, hard shoulder is anything to go by. I feel my own face blush at the thought and give him another quick smile before scurrying off to the kitchen to try to calm down.

I burst into the kitchen and immediately lock eyes with Jade. She looks a little guilty, I immediately grow suspicious. “Jade, did you tell Barbara to have Rhett come to the store to meet me?” Jade immediately blushes and looks down. I close my eyes and try not to get too angry.

Jade walks over to me and looks up at me with puppy dog eyes, “Link, please don’t be mad okay? I just don’t want you to be sad and lonely anymore. I know you are sometimes, it’s not fair to you to be alone like this. Lucas would want you to be happy, Link.” Jade wraps her arms around my torso and I automatically wrap my arms around her shoulders. I bury my face in Jade’s hair and heave a sigh. Jade murmurs into my shoulder, “Did you like him at all?”

I feel my face warm again, “Ye, yeah. He is pretty attractive, even though he’s a giant, people will think I’m short if I stand next to him you know?” I sigh a bit in defeat, “He seems nice.” I whisper into Jade’s black hair. “But he’s way too young for me Jade, I’m thirty-three now, he can’t be far over twenty. Let’s not forget he may not even be interested in me or gay. I’ll never forget the one guy Barbara had me meet, that guy was as straight as they come.” I shudder internally as I recall how awkward that was.

Jade glances up at me, “Age really doesn’t matter to anyone anymore, Link. Also, you’re only thirty-three, that’s nowhere near old!” Jade pulls back a bit, “I’m pretty sure he is gay. I yelled at Barbara about that last guy and told her to be sure this time!”

I pull back too and pat Jade’s cheek. “Thank you for caring about me, Jade. I do appreciate it. I’m not sure about this though, I’ll have to think about it.” Jade just nods. “Anyways, Rhett is probably better off with someone with less baggage.” I give a weak smile to Jade and head out to the back. Jade looks like she wants to say more, but thankfully she doesn’t press the issue and simply goes back to her work.

I head out to the back alley through the door at the back of the kitchen and lean against the wall. The alley is narrow and a bit dark, the building next door shading it from the sun throughout the entire day. I grope my apron pocket and find an old creased up cigarette pack and smack it until one of the last few cigarettes comes out landing in my open palm. When Lucas died I had quit smoking cold turkey. He had always wanted me to stop since it’s such an unhealthy habit. This pack is the last one I ever bought and have managed to only smoke once since then, back during that first year when everything was simply too much. When I’m really upset, or stressed out I just hold a cigarette between my lips for a few minutes until I feel calmer.

I put it between my lips and let my head rest against the rough bricks of my building. I close my eyes and Rhett immediately comes to mind. I have gone five years without being intimate with another person, but feeling his strong shoulder, seeing his rugged face and hearing his deep, smooth voice is making me think about things I normally have no problem ignoring. I put the cigarette back in the pack, adjust my slacks and head back inside going straight out into the dining room to take over the front counter.

Tess is currently walking around picking up dirty cups and plates. I nod at her and she finishes up heading back into the kitchen. I’m surprised to see Rhett still sitting at his table, once he sees me however he gets up and walks over. I feel my heart flutter in my chest as he looks me straight in the eye, his green blue eyes making it impossible for me to look away.

“Hey, so I just wanted to tell you before I left that the food was really delicious.” I feel my face blush at the compliment. “Also, my hours at work are changing starting tomorrow, so I’ll be back for lunch from today on. I’ll see you tomorrow, Link.” He pushes the stores copy of his receipt along with his payment towards me and nods, offering a shy smirk before promptly leaving, giving me no time to form a response. I watch him walk out admiring how his shirt stretches over his wide back and muscular arms.

I hear a snicker behind me and whip my head around to see Tess and Jade spying through the kitchen door window. I squawk, “Get back to work!” They both laugh out loud and run off. My face flushes and I find it hard to wipe the smile off my face.

I grab up the receipt and payment, placing both in the till. Just as I go to close it up I notice something scribbled on to the paper. I squint at it and pull it back out, I place my clear framed reading glasses on and find scrawled on the back Rhett’s name and a phone number. Rhett’s phone number. I stare wide eyed at it, just below his number is a short message, ‘Call or text me whenever you want to, I’ll be looking forward to it.’ My face flushes all the way down to my neck and I hold the receipt close to my chest as my heart thumps loudly against my ribs.

Trying not to think too hard about what I’m letting myself do, I grab my phone out of my pocket and enter Rhett’s number into my modest contact list. I quickly save it and shove my phone back in my pocket before I rethink anything and wind up deleting it. I place the receipt back into the till and take a deep breath. I look up just as the next customer enters causing the bell to let out its sweet chime and I’m grateful for the distraction. I put Rhett out of my mind for now and focus on getting through the rest of the day.

TBC


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The sun sets behind the buildings across the street as I turn the blinds down at the end of the day. My good friends and evening employees Chase and Micha leave for the night, I wave goodbye to them in the doorway. The lock on the door turns, clicking with finality. I flip the chairs up onto the tables and give the dining area another sweep to be sure everything is clean for tomorrow's service. Today got a lot busier than anticipated but I was grateful for it, it helped distract me from a certain man whose number is burning a hole in my pocket. Finally satisfied with the dining room I slip off my apron and hang it on the hook behind the counter.

Making my way into the kitchen I take out one of my favorite bottles of wine along with a single wine glass. I uncork the fresh bottle and grab a plate full of crackers and cheese for a late-night snack to go with it. Everything gets hauled upstairs with me, wine bottle shoved precariously under my arm, plate wobbling dangerously in my right hand with the glass perched in the middle. Managing to not drop anything I squeeze through the narrow staircase and into the living room. I shuffle through to my bed room and place the items on top of my long dresser.

I throw my phone onto my bed then set my glasses on my dresser. Stripping down to my boxers is a relief, I always love being able to get out of the clothes I’ve been in in all day and finally wear loose relaxing clothes. I pull on a loose t-shirt and debate whether I should put on lounge pants or not. I finally decide after a moment I’d rather just stay in my boxers and shirt.

Padding across the cold, wooden floor on bare feet, I head back to my dresser and place the wine, glass and plate of snacks onto a dark walnut serving tray. I turn around and place the tray near the end of my bed and then grab the TV remote off my night stand, tossing it next to my phone. I lay on my queen-sized bed on my stomach, sighing as I squirm around trying to get comfortable. Not finding an acceptable position I finally snag one of my many bed pillows and stuff it under my chest to keep myself propped up. Turning the TV on I’m delighted to see one of my favorite cooking shows is on, Cut Throat Kitchen. Eyes glued to the intense cooking game I pour myself a glass of the sweet red wine and enjoy my snacks, doing my best to ignore my phone.

After about half way through the bottle and my snacks, I start to get a little bold and antsy. I reach for my phone and unlock it, momentarily admiring my background image of my birthday party earlier this year. Jade and Barbara are hanging off me on either side laughing and drunk, all three of us wearing ridiculous party hats. Navigating my apps I press on the text app and open a new conversation with Rhett.

“What the hell do I even say?” I flip over on to my back and squint at the screen. “I guess just a simple greeting is good enough for now.”

‘Hey, this is Link. Just wanted to text you and say hi.’

I hit send then immediately panic, thinking about how really fucking dumb that sounded. I roll back over and quickly gulp down another glass of wine, now only having about one glass full left in the bottle.

Only a few moments pass and my phone chimes letting me know I got a reply. Quickly looking back down his response is simple and fills me with a bit of comfort.

‘Hey Link! I’m glad you texted me.’

The little dots show up indicating that he’s currently typing, after a moment his response appears,

‘I can’t stop thinking about how amazing your food was! How was the rest of your day?’

I break into a grin at the compliment.

‘Well I’m glad you liked the food so much, I can’t wait to make more for you.’

I send that first and then follow up with the rest of my day,

‘I had a lot of customers come in after you left, the Café was crowded all day, it was a good thing though, made the day go a lot faster that way. How was the rest of your day?’

I eagerly await his response, which thankfully comes through quickly.

‘I’m glad you have such good business for this being such a small town! I had a good day too, I got a lot of chores done and now I’m just sitting on my couch drinking some Whisky.’

“He drinks Whisky huh?” I respond back,

‘Whisky, I haven’t acquired much of a taste for that yet. I’ve just about finished a bottle of my favorite red wine, I had some cheese and crackers with it. Can I ask where you’re from?’

I nibble on my lip nervously, hoping I’m not asking too personal of a question too fast. His response chimes in,

‘I’ll have to have you try some good Whisky sometime, it’s very nice. Sounds like we both like to spend our nights having a nice bottle of alcohol! I was born and raised in California, but I had been living in North Carolina since I was eight and moved to Europe five years ago or so. Have you always lived here?’

Wow, California, never would have imagined that. I reply,

‘California! That’s really cool and I actually grew up in North Carolina! I moved to this particular French town when I was very little, my Mother moved us here and it was just her and I.’

I pause, wondering how much I should tell him. It’s fun talking to someone new, but I barely know him.

A few minutes pass and I don’t see anything yet so I decide to head down to the kitchen and clean up my glass and plate. Once I get back I see he has finally texted back, I unlock it and read his message.

‘That’s nice, this is such a calm town I really love it a lot already. I do miss California and North Carolina sometimes but all my family is either dead or so distant we don’t keep in contact. My father and brother both died a long time ago, I never really knew my mother.’

My eyes widen a bit in shock to see how forthcoming he is about his past, but it’s also really refreshing. I feel a bit bad that his family died and he’s got to only be in his early twenties. But I suppose my situation isn’t really all that different. I decide to tell him about Lucas, because I’d rather he find out from me then someone else anyways.

‘Wow I’m sorry to hear about your father and brother. I do understand that though, my father died just a few years back and before him about five years ago my partner died. His name was Lucas.’ I find myself unable to think of what else to say, not really wanting to get into too much detail about the how’s. I hit send and flip the TV off then switch on my bedside lamp and turn off the main light in the bedroom. I snuggle under my thick soft covers and get comfortable on my stomach again using my pillow to prop myself up so I can get a better angle on my phone as I lay down.

Rhett response comes in after a moment, ‘Link, I’m so sorry to hear about that. I can’t imagine losing that kind of special person. Barbara has spoken a little about her deceased brother Lucas but I had no idea you were lovers. I haven’t found a person that special yet just a few people over the years that didn’t last long, so I think it’s lucky that you got to experience a love like that. I had a boyfriend who I was pretty serious about a couple years ago, but he was way too immature for me. His name was Mike, I left him back in North Carolina. He liked to party too much and it annoyed me lol. Uhm, I hope it’s not weird to ask but, are you ok?’

My heart warms at his concern. ‘Thank you for that Rhett, you’re really a sweetheart. Ya, I’m ok with it now, it’s never not sad but I stopped breaking down about it a couple years ago lol. Sorry to hear about Mike, I don’t think a lot of the younger folks around here like yourself are much into partying hard like they do in the larger cities, so I think you’ll be safe, ha!’

I roll over onto my side and pull the covers up over my shoulder, Rhett’s response takes a bit to come through, ‘Young folks huh? You can’t be that much older than me Link, at least you certainly don’t look like it. *wink face* Well I better head off to get a little bit more sleep before work. I’ll see you around lunch time tomorrow. Good night Link, sweet dreams.’

A chuckle rumbles deep in my chest, “You sure are cute aren’t you.”

I send a quick reply, ‘I look forward to it, night Rhett, don’t let the bed bugs bite lol.’

The next morning brings a gentle rain and grey clouds. I roll out of bed and get ready for my run slipping on my plastic poncho to keep most of the rain off and head out. By the looks of it, it hasn’t been raining for too long. My run goes by a little faster than yesterday as I don’t stop by to see Lucas this morning.

Once I get to the front doors and find them locked, I unlock them and get cleaned up and dressed once I’m back upstairs. Jade and Chase are scheduled to work this morning and should be here shortly, so I head down to the kitchen and make myself a quick sandwich accompanied by a mug of café au lait. I sit myself down in the kitchen on a stool at a small desk and eagerly eat up.

Once I’m about halfway through my food I pull out my phone to find a couple of new texts. One is from Jade and the other is from Rhett. I open Jade’s first to see if she is going to be late or something. Her text reads, ‘Hey Link! I’m going to be a little late this morning, I’m really sorry! It shouldn’t be too bad though but just so you know!’ I roll my eyes, nothing new there. Jade is probably late a few times a week, but it’s not that big of a deal. She was probably out late with her group of friends. If anything, Chase will give me all the details when he gets in.

I reply, ‘Ok see you soon then, be safe.’

I back out of Jade’s text and click on Rhett’s, He texted, ‘Good morning Link, I hope you had a restful sleep. I had a lot of fun talking to you last night, so I hope you don’t mind if I text you too.’

He sent a picture after that, I click on it to load it and find myself staring at Rhett’s face, he looks like he woke up very recently in the picture, his curly hair is tousled, and he looks a little sleepy. He has a piece of toast with what looks like mashed up beans smeared on it, it’s hanging out of the corner of his mouth, his head is cocked to the side a little and he’s giving a strangely sexy sleepy smirk. He’s also not wearing a shirt and I find it extremely hard not to gape at his hairy chest, exposed pale neck and wide shoulders.

Deciding to send a picture back too, I straighten up my hair and clothes. I hold up my white coffee mug and snap a picture of myself sipping from it, camera angled down from above, so you can see inside it and I’m looking up into the camera lens. The light in the kitchen is just right so my bright blue eyes are lit up with what small amount of sun is peeking through the cloudy skies.

I send the picture along with a text, ‘Of course you can text me, I may not respond immediately if it’s during a rush here, but I’ll reply as soon as I can. I hope you had a little more than just toast this morning Sir.’ Before I can stop myself, I’m staring at his picture again and decide to save it. You know, in case I need it later…. for stuff.

I make it his profile picture in my phone just in case someone steals my phone and starts asking questions about random pictures of men in my saved photos. I finish my sandwich and coffee up then move over to the sink to clean up. A few minutes later I hear the door chime. I open the kitchen door and greet Chase.

He’s significantly shorter than myself and has a very sweet happy expression almost all the time. He smiles sweetly at me and gives me a half hug, I quickly return it and wait, letting him walk back into the kitchen first.

He makes his way to the fridge and starts getting out the ingredients for the days baked goods after glancing at the chalkboard listing the days of the week and our specials. I help him out by getting the other items down and ready that we will need, I put together the stew for today while I’m at it and let it start simmering. Once Chase has all his ingredients out he divulges into the previous night’s activities, “So Link, guess what happened last night!” He glances at me excitedly.

I chuckle at him, “Uhm, you guys all went out together and ‘you know who’ showed up?” This has been a regular occurrence, apparently a new farmer has moved into town and he’s a real looker. Jade is apparently smitten with him.

Chase laughs in delight, “Yes! He showed up again! I swear to you Link, I will hook those two up even if it kills me!” I laugh at him and we both hear the door chime. We both try our best to wipe the smirks off our faces as Jade bursts through the door scrambling to get her apron on.

She smiles at us both, “Hey guys! Sorry I’m late again Link, I’ll try not to be late again the rest of the week!” She quickly gets together more ingredients for some other muffins and stands next to Chase to start preparing.

Her hair is soft and clean as I pat her on the head, “It’s ok Jade. So, I heard you saw that farmer last night? What’s his name again?” Hearing Jade gush about her crush makes me feel so happy for her, so I always pretend like I’ve forgotten everything about it even though I haven’t.  
Jade’s eyes light up like Christmas as she goes into great detail about the shy but handsome farmer named Gregg. He apparently has tanned skin, black tousled hair and dark eyes that make him appear to be constantly tired. He also has tattoos that cover his hands and fingers. Jade got Gregg to show him a bit of the tattoos on his chest last night. He sounds like a very handsome and exotic person.

Looking over to Jade after she finishes gushing about Gregg I tell her, “You should see if he can make it in sometime. I’d like to meet him!”

Jade bounces in place, “I will! I managed to get his number last night too so I’ll text him later!”

Chase chimes in, “Jade, remember what I told you about texting him ok, don’t blow his phone up or he’ll get pissed.”

He gives her a stern look and Jade nods confidently, “Don’t worry Chase! I remember what you said, I only texted him, ‘Good morning’ today and that was all so far!”

Smirking at the two of them I turn around and check the pot of stew I’ve been working on. Today it’s a creamy potato soup served with a slice of crunchy bread and a side of salad. It’s looking good so far so I pop the lid back on and keep it simmering. Glancing at my phone for the time I see it's already almost 8:00 AM. I head out to the front to get the main area opened and ready, placing the chairs down, turning the blinds open and flipping the sign over. I quickly make sure the coffee is ready and wait for our first customers to arrive. Since it’s a rainy day it will be a little less busy but shouldn’t be too bad. The crowd today should be fairly chill and relaxed.

Today is a good day for some background music in the Café so I to turn on the small radio to a classical French music channel. Normally I don’t have the music on in the cafe, instead preferring to let the sounds of the kitchen trickle out and the murmurs of customers fill the air. But since today is a rainy day with a bit of thunder, a little relaxing French music won’t hurt anyone and it’ll go well with the weather.

The morning passes by with little incident, a fair amount of people show up, appreciating the soup choice today and taking their time reading and chatting. Before long I feel my pocket vibrate, I check to make sure no one needs anything and sneak into the kitchen to check my phone. Jade is washing dishes and Chase is working on a cupcake order for later in the day.

I unlock my phone and am happy to see its from Rhett, ‘You look considerably more attractive than most people so early in the morning Link, how on earth do you manage that? Do you just wake up looking that hot?’ Laughter sputters out between my lips as I try to contain it, I haven’t been called hot in a long time!

I notice it’s also 11:00 AM at this point, so Rhett should be getting off soon. I text back, ‘How good of you to notice, yes I delicately step out of bed looking this fabulous, it’s about time someone mentioned it! Lmao! But seriously thanks for the compliment, I’ll be honest, you looked very adorable in your picture from this morning, sleepy but still cute, lol.’ I hit send.

The soup of today crosses my mind so I walk over to the pot and pop the lid open, I snap a picture of it and send it to Rhett as well, ‘I hope you’re hungry, this is the soup of the day, creamy potato stew!’ I put the lid back on and wait for a response.

Rhett sends another picture of himself, this time it’s a picture of just his uniform adorned stomach and his hand gripping it in mock hunger, ‘I am unbelievably hungry! You’re so cruel sending that to me when I still have another hour left of work. But I cannot wait to eat that now because it seriously looks insanely delicious. My cooking skills are basically nonexistent. But I’ll let you get back to work, I’ll see you in about an hour Link! Keep a bowl full for me!’

Rhett sends a final picture of himself, he has his right hand in a fist, knuckles tucked under his bearded chin in a cute pose, green blue eyes looking up above the camera, his lips are pooched out in a cute way as well. I imagine if he wasn’t taking a picture he would be fluttering his eyelashes, ‘I think you’re the first person to call me adorable by the way, thanks for that, lol.’ The closer I look at it I can see a slight blush high on his beautiful cheekbones.

I burst out laughing at the photo so hard that my eyes start to tear up. It’s so strange to see such a rugged guy striking a pose like that. After a couple moments, I gain control of myself and wipe my eyes, I glance up to find both Chase and Jade staring openly at me. I stare wide eyed back. Almost at the same time they look at each other and then back at me and smirking evilly. They both get back to work with large grins on their faces and all I can do is clear my throat and head back out front, trying to tamper down the embarrassment flushing my cheeks.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Repost*


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter 3

It’s afternoon when Rhett finally shows up, the large lunch crowd having already eating and gone. He slips inside taking off his hat and smiling widely at me, “Hey Link, sorry I’m a little late. Some last-minute stuff at work came up and I had to finish it before I could leave.”

I smile warmly at him, “Don’t worry about it, I’m just glad you still showed up. I made sure to save a bowl of the soup just for you.”

Rhett lets out a grateful groan, “Oh thank goodness, I’ve been looking forward to that since you sent me the picture.”

Gesturing to the unoccupied dining area I say, “Go ahead and have a seat I’ll bring out your lunch now, what did you want to drink?”

He runs his fingers through his wavy hair before replying, “I’ll have a black tea please!”

Nodding in understanding I turn away, heading into the kitchen to fix up his plate. Once I’ve got everything ready I head back out swiftly pouring a cup of tea for him as well and bring the rest of his order over to his table. He went ahead with the same table from the day before, right by the front windows.

Once he’s settled in I turn to leave him to eat in peace for a bit when I feel my wrist gently grasped and tugged. I stop and glance behind me, Rhett’s face is slightly red and he’s not quite meeting my gaze. He lets go and mumbles, “Did you want to eat lunch with me, if you haven’t already eaten?”

My heart flutters at how sweet he is, I smile gently at him, “Sure, I’ll eat with you, Rhett. Thank you for offering. I’ll be right back!” Rhett looks instantly elated, so I quickly go into the kitchen and get myself a bowl of soup and some salad.

I grab a glass of water and sit myself down across from Rhett at the square table. Rhett has set his hat on the table and placed his napkin in his lap. Following suit, I settle in, placing my napkin on my lap as well. I relax into the chair, grateful to be off my feet for a little while.

Finding myself suddenly very hungry I tuck in, spooning up soup and savoring it, noting that the taste is almost perfect and deciding next time I’ll add a bit more Sage. Hearing a lack of clinking silverware from across the table I glance up to find Rhett staring at me, as soon as I look up to meet his gaze he looks back down to his plate while his cheeks dust with red and he quickly picks up his spoon starting in on his own dish.

My mind whirls with the obvious, this man likes me. It’s a statement I’ve been trying to decide how I feel about. I know I am physically attracted to him, I cannot lie and say I’m not. But, I can’t decide if I should shut him down or let it go and see what happens. Some might say it’s better to stop whatever this is while we are ahead, but he’s just so sweet that it’s hard to think about pushing him away.

Rhett’s voice pulls me from my thoughts and I ask him to repeat himself, “Sorry what was that?”

Rhett cocks his head to the side, “I asked you if you were alright, you looked a little troubled over there.” Rhett passes me a bit of his bread and I take it, sopping up the rest of the soup in my bowl.

Once I finish eating it I look back up to him, “Yeah, I’m okay, just got a few things on my mind.” He nods his head in understanding. Deciding to focus on my new friend instead of worrying about deeper issues I try for casual conversation, “Well, now that you’re off work what are your plans for the rest of your day?”

I work on finishing my salad as I listen to the deep timbre of his voice, my mind suddenly brings back the sound of Lucas’s voice. The two of them couldn’t be more different, Lucas’s voice was a slightly higher pitch generating more from the top of his chest, but still inviting and nice to listen to. Rhett’s voice on the other hand comes from a deeper part of his chest, causing it to have a warm, deep resonance that rattles something within my body, making me feel relaxed and comforted somehow.

Rhett leans back in his seat a bit, “Well, I’ll go home and get changed. Then I have some errands to run around town. I’ll probably go for a run tonight as well since it’s been getting a bit warmer. I was also considering going to a jazz club in the next town. I heard it’s got a really relaxing atmosphere there, they have this incredible musician, I think I heard his name was Ben, if I’m not mistaken he owns the place.”

Perking up at the name, “Ben huh, was this Le Violoncelle des os?”

Rhett pats the table with his hand looking excited, “Yes that’s the name of it! Have you been there before, Link?”

Leaning in closer out of excitement I say, “Yes, I know the owner, he’s a good friend of mine actually. It’s been awhile since I’ve gone to see him, his place is really great!”

Without really thinking about it I tell Rhett all about my favorite memory at that club, “Le Violoncelle des os was the place I first met Lucas. I had been going there for some time and made good friends with Brook and Robin, she comes to work here some nights of the week. One night a group of people came in consisting of Jade, Barbara, Lucas, Tess and Jen, she’s my other night worker who sometimes works during the day. I’ll never forget the moment I looked over to the door when they came in and how it felt like time stopped when Lucas and I made eye contact. My face immediately turned red and I forgot how to breath entirely! We were both so young then!” I laugh out loud, picturing Lucas’s equally entranced face as he blocked the doorway to the club, his friends pushing him and hollering at him to move out of the way.

Wiping my eyes, I lean my cheek on my hand and look back up to Rhett, he has the biggest, sweetest smile on his face as he looks over at me matching my relaxed pose.

Rhett huffs a laugh, “That’s a really sweet memory, Link.”

Rhett gets a nervous look in his eye before asking, “If you wanted to, did you want to come with me tonight. You said you haven’t seen Ben in a while, that might be nice to catch up and you could show me around the place?”

I sit up at that, giving this serious thought. “Are you asking me out on a date, Rhett?” Looking at him I’m sure to hold eye contact, still unsure what answer I want to hear.

Rhett sits up as well clearing his throat. After a beat he speaks, “I want to be clear with you, Link. I really like you, so if you’re comfortable with it I would be happy if you thought of this as a first date.”

My eyes widen, ‘Well there it is, he really does like me. Should I take the chance and see where this goes, or do I tell him I only want to be friends?’ I close my eyes in contemplation and hum to myself a bit. A couple of moments pass and all I can think about are negative things. How much older I am then he is, how we don’t know much about each other yet and how it’s been so long I’m not really sure how comfortable I would be falling into someone else’s arms or letting them fall into mine.

My musings are interrupted by Jade bursting out of the kitchen running over to bounce happily on her feet in front of me, “Link! Sorry to interrupt you, but I just got a text from Gregg! He says he wants to check out Le Violoncelle des os! You should go with, so you can see Ben, he misses you!”

I look back over to Rhett and find he looks a little down, ‘Shit I must have been taking longer to reply then I should have.’ I poke Jade in the belly, “I’ll get back to you in a sec about that Jade okay, just give me and Rhett a few more minutes.” Jade nods excitedly and darts back into the kitchen again.

Rhett reaches across the table very slowly and deliberately until his index finger reaches my right hand that’s resting next to my plate. I watch as he gently strokes the top of my hand with his finger, I flick my gaze to his face and see he is once again very red, “Link, I want you to know you can tell me what’s on your mind. I’m a really good listener and I won’t be offended if you don’t want to go or if you don’t feel the same, I totally understand.”

A sigh escapes through my nose as I close my eyes for a moment, “You do the cutest things, Rhett.”

Rhett jolts a bit in his seat finger frozen and no longer stroking my hand. He stares at me in wonder and disbelief.

I relax back into my chair and use my own index finger to poke at his, rubbing our finger pads together slowly and keeping my eyes glued to our hands, “Alright, you have been nothing but honest and open with me so it’s only fair that I do the same for you. I am very attracted to you physically and so far, to your personality as well, though we don’t know a lot about each other yet.”

I take a sip of my water before continuing, giving myself a little more time to formulate everything I want to say, “It’s been about five years now since I had a lover and it’s been well over twelve years since I dated someone new, so I’m a little unsure of myself. That combined with the fact that you must be ten years or so younger than myself, I worry that you won’t like what you find once you get to know me better. Our interests may be too different, and my body isn’t as young as your own, though I will admit I’m not really that old yet.”

I finally look back up to Rhett and meet his gaze, “So these are the things that keep spinning around my mind and I’m just not sure if I should go with the flow, or if I should tell you no, in the hopes you’ll find someone younger and better, someone with less baggage than me.” I gesture to the store around me, my Café means the world to me and takes a lot of my time to run it and keep it going.

Rhett seems to turn my words over and thinks them through before replying, “Thank you for being open and honest with me, Link. It makes me happy to hear that you do like me too and I can understand where you’re coming from with our ages and the business you run here.”

Rhett carefully inches his fingers into my palm and slowly closes his large hand over mine. I feel my pulse bounce as a sense of excitement thrums through me briefly, allowing my hand to close over his and give a very gentle squeeze, I feel my cheeks burn a little when he returns the gesture.

Rhett takes a sip of his coffee then says, “I’d like very much to have the chance to get to know you better. I have a feeling once we really get to know each other we are going to find a lot we share in common. We can go as slow as you like, I’m not in any sort of rush in that sense, so if being intimate with another person so suddenly seems uncomfortable, you don’t have to worry about that a bit. I know how to keep my hands to myself.”

Rhett leans in a bit, red dusting the tops of his high cheekbones, “I do have to confess, I cannot stop thinking about how gorgeous you are, the way you speak, the way you look and how you present yourself, you are constantly on my mind, Link.”

My breath catches in my chest, my eyes widen and my face flushes deeply.

Rhett stays leaned in, thumb slowly rubbing along the tops of my knuckles, “So, Link, will you consider being my boyfriend and going out with me tonight?”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Repost*


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter 4

Rhett’s deep baritone gently floats through my empty Café, “So, Link, will you consider being my boyfriend and going out with me tonight?” He looks hopeful and eager as he waits patiently for my response.

I never really thought much about dating again, not for real. Sure, I tried to meet a few people, but no one really sparked my interest, so I never thought too hard about it. But this man, Rhett, he fills my mind and makes me feel things I haven’t felt in years. I should just take this chance, see where this can take us and hope that if it ends it won’t hurt too bad, that if he finds someone younger I’ll have to just take it in stride and let him go.

My heart is tired of being alone, it’s time to let myself fall for someone else. I grasp his hand in mine and take a deep breath, “Alright Rhett, I’ll be your boyfriend.” I feel a slight blush burn my cheeks but my stomach flutter and my heart feels happy.

Rhett instantly looks elated, a large smile breaking out on his handsome face. He brings my hands up to his face and kisses the tops of my fingers sweetly. I smirk at him and bring his hands to my face and do the same. He looks embarrassed for a moment but then the large sweet smile is back on his face, lighting up the room.

I place our hands back down, fingers intertwined, “So, what time should I be ready and how are we going to get there?”

Rhett smirks, “Have you ever been on a motorcycle before?”

I’m instantly thrilled, “No I haven’t had the chance, Jade keeps saying she wants one but she’s not that great at driving. Does that mean you have one?” I eagerly wait for his response as he just smiles at me, scanning over my face.

Rhett reaches with his other hand across the table and brushes back a stray lock of hair that I must have missed while putting my pomade on. His fingertips gently glide across my temple and behind my ear as he moves his fingers away from my hair. My eyes slip closed at the warmth in just his fingers and pleasant feeling at being touched so tenderly.

He moves his fingers slowly down my jaw line and stops with his index finger under my chin and his thumb gently rubbing my stubbled jaw, “You really are gorgeous, Link.” I slowly open my eyes and can only manage to stare dreamily at him. He chuckles a bit before putting his hand back down, it’s then I can finally regain some clarity and scoff at him.

I tap his leg with my foot in protest, “Thanks for the compliment, Rhett, but I was in the middle of asking a question. There will be plenty of time to ogle me tonight, Sir.” I whip my head to the side in mock snootiness.

Rhett lets out a loud belly laugh, wiping the tears away from his eye, “Sorry Link, it’s just I’ve been wanting to be close to you for a while now, so I got distracted. I promise I’ll try to control myself.”

He offers me another large smile and snaps my hand back up as I wait for him to answer my previous question.

Rhett gives my hand a small squeeze, “I do have a motorcycle as well as a spare helmet and driving leathers that should fit you just fine. So, if you're comfortable letting me drive you to the city I’d love to take you on my bike.”

I close my eyes and imagine what it would be like, sitting on the back of a motorcycle, my arms wrapped snugly around Rhett’s thick muscled torso, my chest and hips plastered up against his strong, wide back. Feeling the wind and road pass by us quickly as we drive through the old roads. I want to experience that.

I open my eyes and nod excitedly, “Heck yes I want to! It’s going to be so much fun, I can’t wait. What time should I be ready do you think?”

Rhett leans back a bit, “Well since we’re going to meet Jade and some others down there we could just see when they are going and try to meet them around the same time if you want to.”

“Hmmm, that’s a great idea!” Just as I get up to talk to Jade a group of customers come in, people from the city I assume by the way they gawk at my store and snap pictures of the Café’s interior.

Rhett gets up and touches my arm, “Hey, I better let you get back to it. Just text me what you find out and I’ll be here whenever you want me.” Rhett pulls out his wallet and places his payment on the table for me.

I look up to Rhett’s handsome bearded face, “Alright that sounds good, I’ll text you soon.” Rhett’s gaze gently scans over my hair and face, he gives me a sweet smile and gently rubs my arm before nodding and heading out.

I feel a little dazed as I watch him walk out, greeting the group of ladies as he goes. Most of them giggle and start to whisper to each other as he walks out. I shake myself out of it and get back to work.

The moment the tourists leave I head back in and talk to Jade about this evening.

“Hey Jade, so I’ve got some news,” I grab Jade and give her a big bear hug, lifting her slight frame up and spinning her around a couple times, “Rhett and I are dating now!”

Jade lets out a loud celebratory noise and Tess congratulates me as well, “Link, I’m so happy! This is great!”

I put Jade down as Tess heads out to bus the tables. “So, now that means that I can meet you at the club tonight, when were you and the rest going to be there?”

Jade and I make plans for that evening, the group she was going with were planning on heading there around 8:00 PM or 8:30 PM, they plan on going to another club beforehand.  
I text Rhett the info and he asks if we wanted to go sooner to just hang out first and that way I can have a chance to catch up with Ben. It sounds like a perfect idea, so I ask him to come pick me up around 6:30pm. I text him to just come up when he gets here, and I can show him around a bit before we head off.

*

It’s 6:15 and my hair's still wet and I’m running through my upstairs apartment like a mad man. The Café closed early today but even so I was late getting ready for tonight. I have a towel wrapped haphazardly around my head and my tight black pants are pulled halfway up my thighs as I stumble back over to my dresser and rip the drawer open. I rifle through my shirts flinging rejects behind me to land on my bed.

I hold up one of my few favorite shirts, a light blue pinstriped button-down shirt, I scan it over and spot a small light stain on the front, “Ah shit…,” Lucas had bought me this one.

“Knock, knock?”

I hear Rhett’s deep voice call out from my living room and I jump. I stuff the shirt back into my drawer and work on hiking my pants up my quickly. Rhett peeks into my bedroom and sees me struggle with my pants and instantly blushes while laughing at the same time.

I scoff at him, “Oh shut up, you tree.” I get them up finally and fasten them closed.

“Sorry, I’ll wait back in there then,” Rhett turns around to head back into my tiny living room, but I call out to him.

“Hey, it's ok you can stay, I’m almost ready. Just got to find a shirt,” I smile at him and take the towel off my hair, placing it on the top of my dresser, then get back to digging through my clothes.

Rhett shuffles in place a bit and then sits in my cozy armchair in the corner that has my small personal bookshelf next to it.

I turn my attention back to my dresser and pull out a couple more shirts and inspect them a little closer, “Sorry I’m running so late by the way, Rhett. I’m normally not late like this.” I turn towards him to give him a smile, but as soon as I do I freeze as I look at him. Rhett has picked up the picture frame that was sitting on top of my tiny bookshelf, he has a small sad smile on his face that pulls at something in my heart.

I slip the long-sleeved grey and black striped shirt over my head that I finally decided on and walk over to him. I stand in front of him and he looks up at me, “Sorry, I just saw it and wanted to take a look at it,” He holds out the silver frame to me and I gently take it from him.

I look at it like I have so many times, the picture is of Lucas and I, the both of us are smiling happily, faces squished together as we celebrate our first night as new Café owners. So many years have passed since that day, but sometimes, it feels like it was just yesterday.

I find myself suddenly sitting in Rhett’s lap, one strong arm wrapped around my back, his other hand firmly cradling the back of my head as Rhett whispers, “I’m so sorry Link, I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

It’s then I finally realize that I was crying, my face is wet and making his nice black shirt tear stained. I lean back a bit and set the picture back in its place then nuzzle back into the crook of Rhett’s neck and wrap my arms around his wide shoulders, relaxing and getting myself to calm down.

I speak again after a few moments, “It’s not your fault Rhett, I don’t know what came over me. Sorry you had to see that.”

I wipe my eyes off on my sleeve and make to get up, but Rhett tightens his grip on me, stopping me, “You have nothing to be sorry for, Link. I’ve lost people I love too, I understand. Sometimes you will just be having a normal day and then a passing thought or certain smell can just trigger memories. It’s good to let it out, Link. So please, don’t be embarrassed or anything.” Rhett brings his large palm up to my face and lays it against my cheek, I close my eyes and snuggle into it, “Honestly, it happened to me just the other day, too.”

I feel much more reassured and less embarrassed with Rhett’s encouragement. I open my eyes and look at his sweet, gentle face. I look into his blue-green eyes and see nothing but kindness and care in them. I place my hands on either side of his handsome face, running my thumbs along the tops of his high cheekbones.

The air changes, feels thicker and charged, my heart beats loudly in my ears and my breath comes a little quicker. Rhett looks like he’s feeling the same.

The moment is slightly lightened when he speaks, “May I kiss you, Link? Please tell me no if it’s too fast, I’ll understand.” He sounds breathless when he asks, his voice coming out as a whisper, made loud by the silence in the room.

I want to kiss him, bad. All I can think about is the lonely nights, cold in my bed. Afraid to fall asleep sometimes because of how silent it is in here. No one else breathing, no one else laughing or talking. Just me, alone.

I want to kiss him, so I do.

I lean in first and he meets me halfway, his lips are soft and warm, they light a fire in me that went out the day I lost Lucas. The kiss starts off sweet, tender and pure. The meeting and parting of lips, a gentle pressure that soon changes to longer lingering kisses.

Kissing Rhett proves to be exhilarating and intoxicating. My mind is clear of all the loneliness that’s settled in my heart, the sadness that I’ve grown so used to that I stopped realizing it was even there, weighing me down for years.

My fingers weave into his soft wavy hair and I gently grip onto the locks, I move my legs to straddle his, settling on his lap more comfortably. He moves with me, one hand moving to my hip and the other tenderly grasping the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my drying, black hair.

Our kisses turn further and further away from pure and innocent, I’m not sure who started it but suddenly my tongue is brushing against his and I whimper at the feeling. I grow hungrier for more, it’s been so long since I’ve kissed someone or even gotten so close to another person like this.

My body moves on its own and I feel myself grind down gently on his lap feeling his hardness press against my inner thigh, he gasps, suddenly grips my hip tightly stopping my movements and pulling away from my lips, “Whoa hey, hey, Link.”

I snap out of the haze when he says my name, I look down and both of us are breathing heavy, his face is flushed. I instantly feel embarrassed with myself, we only just started dating today and here we are making out in my bedroom like teenagers while I grind on his lap like a hormonal beast.

I cover my face with my hands, “Oh my god, Rhett, I’m so sorry.”

He quickly, but gently tugs my hands away and holding them, “Hey don’t be sorry Link, it’s okay, really. I just think we ought to slow back down here, take it a little bit at a time.” He makes me look him in the eyes and he smiles at me, “I don’t regret kissing you like this, at all, I just want to take it slow and honestly, I think you need us to take it slow, hmmm?”

He’s right, so very right. It’s been so long since I’ve had contact with another person that I really need to take it easy. I really like Rhett and clearly, we have very good chemistry. So, I want to take this at a good pace, give this relationship a good fighting chance.

I take a deep breath, “Yeah, you’re right. I didn’t mean for it to get that heated.” I smile down at him, “You are a very, very good kisser Rhett, but yeah, let’s take a step back and try to take it slow.”

I lean down and give him one more peck on the lips, I glance at the small clock on my wall and see it’s already 6:45 PM, “Oh gosh, we’re running way late now, let me finish my hair and then I’ll be ready to go!” I slip off his lap, trying to discreetly cover the effect our make out session had on me and sprint to the bathroom.

We hurry downstairs once I’m finally ready, “Hey, is it okay if I give you a tour once you drop me off back home later?”

Rhett glances down at me as we walk through the Café dining area, “Yeah, of course, that’s no problem at all, I am excited to see later though. I’ve never been in a Café or restaurant kitchen before. Just seen them on TV.”

He smiles down at me and I bump his shoulder, “Well don’t get your hopes up too much, it’s pretty small compared to a real restaurant!”

We get outside, and I lock the doors behind me, once I turn around I see a beautiful black motorcycle with green detailing sitting along the curb with two helmets and jackets sitting on the seat. It looks like an obvious sport type, fast and wicked cool. I go over to it and run my hand along the shiny clean paint, “What kind is this? It looks awesome!”

Rhett’s face breaks out in a grin, “This is a Kawasaki Ninja H2, it’s a sports style so it can go pretty fast. I actually used to race, but it’s been years since I’ve done it.” Rhett picks up a helmet that matches the bike, “I had to stop racing when I had my accident.”

I watch as he reaches back and touches his lower back gently, “I got into a really bad wreck, flew off my bike and landed in a bad way. My back was really messed up and I got impaled by some pieces of my bike as it broke apart. Almost died doing it too, luckily after many surgeries I'll just be left with minor back problems and my life.”

To think, Rhett could have died, and we would never have had the chance to meet. Thinking about that makes me even happier that we did meet, that I took this chance to be with him. I grasp his hand and nuzzle on to his shoulder, “Well I’ll have to see that scar later, but for now, I’m so happy you're here and alive.”

Rhett nuzzles the top of my head with his face, “I’m very glad to be alive right now too, Link, but I thought we were taking it slow, you already trying to my clothes off, huh?”

I gasp and kick him in the shin, he roars out laughter and holds his shin in mock pain.

I strut over to the spare helmet and jacket, they are both a pure black. I slip the jacket on and fasten it, inside the helmet I find gloves stuffed inside and slip those on as well. Rhett follows suit a moment or so later.

He helps me put my helmet on and fasten it, then puts his on as well, “Make sure your phone, wallet and whatever else you have is secured so it won’t fall out. If you need to, go ahead and put them in your jacket pockets, they zip closed.” I pull my keys, phone and wallet out and stuff them in the jacket pockets and zip them up.

Rhett gets on the bike and tells me to hop on, “Now, before we go, I’m going to give you some pointers on how to ride along with me. You need to keep your arms wrapped around me at all times, don’t let go, but don’t squeeze me to death either! When we go on turns I need you to move with me, lean into it like I do as we go, just don’t lean too much, be sure to follow what I do. Other than that, it should be a leisurely ride. I’m a very safe driver.”

I squeeze Rhett as I hop on, “I trust you, Rhett. I can’t wait to see what this is like!”

The drive to the city is beautiful, the country pastures and fields barren and waiting to be sown whiz past us, the night sky growing dark and the large moon shining brightly over us make for a relaxing drive.

Being able to hold Rhett this closely and feel his warmth makes me very happy and reminds me of earlier in the evening. My face flushes at the memory and I squirm, feeling heat start to pool in my gut. I take a deep breath and try to control myself. This isn’t like me, I normally only feel these kind of urges a couple times a week tops, but this is insane. I want to take it slow, so I really need to get a grip on myself.

It seems to take us less time than I recall, but we eventually get there, we drive through the city streets, weaving our way through until we get to the small building in the downtown area where Le Violoncelle des os is. Rhett parks his motorcycle some ways up the road in a mostly full parking lot and we take off our gear, instead of leaving it on the bike like he did before he takes both helmets and jackets with us and we make our way down the road to the club hand in hand.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Repost*


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Walking through the doors to the Jazz club feel as nostalgic as always, the dim lights, soft jazz playing, and a cozy chill atmosphere make this place unique. Rhett takes my hand and leads me over to a table near the back corner of the room. After a few minutes Ben comes power walking over, eyes trained on me, a determined look on his face.

I wait to sit down and brace myself as Ben swoops me up and squeezes me tight. Ben became a fast friend of mine when I first entered his club. He, Lucas and myself became the best of friends. Ben’s clear voice rings out as he sets me back down, “Link, it’s been so long I’m so glad to see you!” Ben steps back and takes a good look at me, his hands squeezing my shoulders gently, “You look really good Link, happy and healthy.” He smiles warmly at me and I’m a bit lost. After Lucas died Ben was there for me and, if I’m honest, it’s possible I may have eventually dated him.

A cough comes from my right and I snap out of it, remembering Rhett. “Oh, sorry Rhett, this is Ben. Ben this is my boyfriend, Rhett.”

Rhett steps closer, looming over Ben as he shakes his hand and smiles at him, “It’s nice to meet you. You have a really cool club!”

Ben laughs and thanks Rhett, he has us sit down while he fetches some drinks on the house, letting us relax and enjoy ourselves. Rhett asks for just tea as he’s going to drive us back later. He makes me promise to text him and come hang out more often, I agree, and Ben looks like I’ve just made his week. I feel a small pang of guilt at having kept away for so many months, but something about Ben’s open affection reminds me too much of how Lucas was always ready for a big hug and a close snuggle, that and I would have had to try to feel something more than friendship for Ben.

Rhett and I talk for a good hour about a lot of different things. Finding out what our favorite music is, favorite movies and things we want to see and do. I’m a lot more reserved than Rhett, but I have a feeling he could talk me into doing almost anything. Our music interests are similar, same with movies, except for horror films, which I cannot stand. Rhett finds this crazy and determines he will get me to watch a few with him.

After a while the front door opens to a group talking excitedly, we look over to see Jade and Barbara along with a bunch of our other friends. We wave them over and enjoy a nice night filled with laughter and drinks. Ben joins us after a while and we recall old times with Jade and Barbara pitching in. Rhett wraps an arm around my shoulders and I let myself sink into him, enjoying his warmth and the sound of his hearty laugh that resonates deep in his chest.

A couple more hours pass by and the rest of the group starts to split off into couples, some leaving for other bars or places to eat. I look up to Rhett, “Hey, did you wanna go back to my place? Maybe watch a movie or something? I could also whip us up something to eat!” I eye him excitedly, thinking about how nice it will be for it to be just us.

Rhett smiles sweetly at me, he reaches down and brushes a lock of my black hair off of my forehead, letting his thumb gently drag down my temple. He looks so gentle and sweet that I feel my heart melt under his steady strong gaze, “Yeah, let’s get out of here. Your cooking sounds amazing right now.” He carefully leans down and kisses me softly on the cheek. He then slowly untangles himself from me and starts getting ready.

I find myself staring at him, feeling struck by just how gentle and sweet this giant of a man is. I follow suit after a beat and once we finish getting our jackets back on we start heading out. I wave bye to Ben and eagerly seat myself behind Rhett. Relishing in the feeling of wrapping my arms around his wide, but slim torso as he drives us back to my home.

I fumble a bit with the keys as Rhett stands behind me waiting for me to unlock the door, my nerves are starting to get to me as I think about the fact this is the first time in years I’ve had an attractive man alone in my house. I jump slightly as his large hand suddenly stills mine, I look up and see us reflected in the glass of the front door. I have my clear glasses on now as I normally do when the evening comes around, my blue eyes shine clearly as I look up at him.

He offers another sweet smile and helps me get the key into the lock, turning it so it clicks. I giggle at him, feeling just slightly giddy from the wine, “Thanks Rhett, guess I’m just feeling a little nervous.”

We go inside, and Rhett turns me to him, “Hey, there’s nothing to be nervous about, okay? If you want to call it a night at any point just let me know and it's all good.” He looks down at me and waits until I give him a nod.

I take his hand and lead him inside the kitchen, I show him around and then decide to show him the back alley where I often go to relax. I sit Rhett down on the other side of the counter and I start to pull down some simple things to cook. I decide to stick with chicken breasts and sautéed vegetables. Rhett eagerly watches me while I work, throwing out what his favorite foods and dishes are as well as things he hasn’t eaten since he lived in the south. I take mental notes on the things he lists off, determined to make them for him one day soon.

I only managed to nic my finger once while cutting and burned my elbow slightly while cooking the chicken. Rhett was sweet and rushed to help me each time, fretting over the wounds and making sure I was taken care of. I carry our food upstairs, leaving Rhett to carry the wine and dishes as he follows behind me. I determine we will be more comfortable relaxing in my small, but cozy living room, this way we can watch a movie.

We seat ourselves and come to a conclusion on the movie, The notebook.  
Rhett snuggles up close throwing an arm over my shoulders. I delight in the effortless way we seem to get along. Not a lot of words are needed between us and being with Rhett makes me feel safe. I lean my head against his shoulder and let myself relax into him.

We both tear up during the movie, squeezing each other in a hug for comfort. I find the fact that Rhett isn’t embarrassed to show his sensitive side to be absolutely endearing and something I appreciate greatly.

The movie ends far too soon, neither of us are ready for the night to end so we decide on watching a comedy to lighten the mood. We decide on a movie called, “What we do in the shadows.”

We enjoy the movie immensely, both laughing at the odd humor the movie contains. I enjoy the sound of Rhett’s genuine laughs and delight in the way he holds his chest and throws back his head when he's laughing his loudest. I find myself yearning to reach out, thread my fingers through his bushy beard and kiss his thin lips. Rhett must have felt my eyes on him as he suddenly looks over to me, his smile faltering slightly and his cheeks pinking.

I remove my glasses, setting them down on the small coffee table in front of us and pause the movie. I turn back to Rhett and his eyes are dark and hungry. I slowly reach forwards and let my fingers glide through his bushy beard, I question myself briefly, but the mood is right, so I take the chance and crawl into his lap, my knees framing his thighs.

Rhett’s hands gently glide over my hips, up my sides and back down. My nose brushes against his and I feel my heart speed up, I bite my lip in nervousness. Rhett coos slightly and brings his hand up to my mouth, gently pulling my bottom lip out from my teeth with his thumb, rubbing at the red mark my teeth left behind.

He gently kisses my lips, just a quick chaste kiss that turns into a slow peppering of kisses. I move my hands into his curly locks and gently massage his scalp as we begin kissing deeper and deeper. Rhett’s large hands settle back onto my hips, he slowly squeezes them and rubs his thumbs along my hip bones.

Rhett’s tongue darts out and drags along my lips, gently pushing against them and I allow his tongue in, greeting his with my own. The feel of his tongue against mine, his breath against my lips and his fingers gripping my hips causes an embarrassing whimper to escape my throat. I blush furiously but Rhett only responds with a low rumbling and a hand coming up to grip the back of my neck.

We kiss for a long while, until I finally must pull away. Recalling our agreement to go slowly, my mind is clouding, and I can feel myself wanting to take it further, to grind down on his lap and devour him. I pull back and Rhett follows me for a second before he realizes what’s going on. He blinks at me and offers a sweet grin.

I slip off his lap clearing my throat, “Well, I think I’m going to get another bottle of wine, do you want anything else?”

Rhett stretches a bit, “I’ll just take a glass of water for now, still got to drive myself home later.”

I feel a slight ache at the statement, but force myself to understand that he must go home at some point. We have to take it slow, it's been too long since I’ve been with someone so if I want it to last, I have to take my time.

I hurry downstairs and grab a new bottle of red, stalling briefly so I can clear my head and let my arousal die down before I head back up. As soon as I’ve calmed down I hurry back up and settle myself next to Rhett. He smiles at me and I hand him his glass of water. I lean forwards and press play while pouring myself a glass.

We watch the rest of movie and after a time I feel my eyes get heavy, the wine finally getting to me making my face hot and sleep over take me. I snuggle into Rhett’s side and he automatically wraps his arm around me and I fall asleep.

**

Sunlight wakes me, and I squint against it. I squirm and find myself in my bed, still in my pants and shirt from the previous night. I’m buried inside my covers, it’s nice and warm. I reach down and undo my pants peeling them off and tossing them outside the bed, making myself more comfortable. I shuck my shirt next and then peek around for my phone. I look over at my night stand and find my phone along with a folded piece of paper.

I reach over and grab them both before retreating into my covers, the bedroom being too cold to deal with right now. I check the time first and find it’s almost 8:00 AM and I have a few texts waiting for me to respond, some of them from Jade and a couple from Rhett.

I check the note first and it reads,

Link, I had the best time with you last night. I hope we can go out again soon. I locked the door and put the key in the mail slot, so don’t worry about that. Also, you sleep with your mouth hanging open and it the cutest thing I think I’ve ever seen.

-Rhett

I laugh out loud at being caught with my mouth open.

I pull up Rhett’s text to see what he’s sent me,

“Hey, I just wanted to say good morning and that I cannot stop thinking about your kisses.”

Along with the text he’s sent a picture of himself, he looks like he’s in bed, half of his naked torso is covered by a blanket and his arm is bent up and covering half his sweet sleepy face as he smirks into the camera.

Remembering last night makes my blood rush and my face heat up. Rhett’s body is gorgeous, he has such a large tall frame and a ruggedly handsome face. I decide to risk sending him something a little sexy, hoping he will get the idea and send me something back.

“Well good morning to you too, I could get used to seeing your face in the morning ;), I honestly can’t stop thinking about how good it feels to sit on your lap and how comfortable I feel when you wrap me up in your arms.”

I bite my lip, a bit nervous that I’m going too fast or coming on too strong.

I mess around a bit with angles and decide on taking a picture from directly above me. I hold my phone up and push down my comforter, exposing my chest completely. The dark chest hair I have showing stark contrast against my fair skin. I take my left hand and use my fingers to half cover my left eye and push back my messed up hair a bit. Giving the camera a sultry look and throwing in a lip bite for good measure.

I send the picture and try not to panic as I wait to see if he sends me back anything. A few moments go by and he finally gets back.

“Shit baby…I really hope you don't mind if I send this. If it bothers you just tell me”

The next picture I get is of Rhett’s stomach and hip area, clothed with a thin sheet. His hand fingers are gently touching his prominent arousal through the sheet. I feel my own arousal pulse at the picture and my hand immediately snakes down my body and I grip myself firmly. Giving myself a few squeezes and trying to hold back from completely losing my mind. I have to return the favor to Rhett, I don't want to leave him hanging.

I take a steadying breath and respond, “Fuck Rhett, that's really fucking hot.... You got me so hard right now…”

I blush furiously at the dirty talk, not having done something like this in years. I throw my right leg out of the covers but leave my left leg and hip covered up. I use my right hand to grip myself under the covers, I push down the warm comforter I have and leave just the thin sheet in its place. My arousal is just barely covered by the sheet and I’m sure to reveal a bit of my left hip bone as well. I bend my right knee in towards my left leg slightly, I angle my arousal up, slightly showing off just how hard and long it is.

I send the picture as well and focus on the picture Rhett sent me. Not having time to get up and search my cabinets for something to use, I spit in my hand to make things go smoother. I flip back and forth on my phone between Rhett's face and the picture of his covered arousal. And before long I let out a deep groan, spilling onto my stomach as I ride out the waves of pleasure, a pleasure I don't normally let myself indulge in. Since meeting Rhett it's gotten harder and harder to keep thoughts about him touching me out of my head.

After a moment I reach over and grab a couple tissues, wiping up my stomach and briefly wondering if Rhett took this as far as I did. My phone buzzes after a few minutes and i see its from Rhett, “You are going to be the death of me Link…I also wouldn't mind starting every day that way ;)”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Repost*


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter six

The months have flown by since Rhett and I started dating. It’s been a couple of months since our first date to Ben’s club and since then we have kept in contact and gone on many dates together, some at my place and some at his. We haven’t gotten to the point of sleeping over but that will come when the time is right. Rhett doesn’t rush me, he’s always a gentleman and for that I am grateful.

Today we are out walking the streets and perusing the shops of one of the nearby cities, taking a day to relax and enjoy the sunny weather. Or at least that’s what we were doing up until the rain suddenly started to pour down on us. Rhett grabs my hand and we run through the streets heading towards where he parked the car he borrowed from Chase. We were about to head out anyway, thinking about enjoying some time at Ben’s club for a bit.

As we round a corner we realize we made a wrong turn, we look up to see a wall right in front of us cutting us off. We both turn, covering our heads with a hand each and noticed just how much darker it has gotten with the rain. The alleyway suddenly feels eerie, the hairs on my arms standing on end. I squeeze Rhett’s hand and he squeezes mine in reassurance. We take a step forwards to make our way back out of the alley.

Before we can take another step a hooded figure steps into the alleyway. It appears to be a man, based on the broad shoulders and defined jaw. I immediately tense up, feelings of fear and dread stirring in my belly. The man takes a step forward and draws out a gun. I suck in a gasp and grip onto Rhett, terror taking course in my veins. ‘This cannot be happening, not like this!’ I squeeze my eyes shut, ready to throw myself in front of Rhett.

Before either of us can react, we hear shouts and I snap my eyes open to see two officers with their guns drawn on the man. They take the man's attention, his gun now drawn on them instead of us. Rhett takes the opportunity to gently push me, so we are both against the wall shielded partly behind some stacked crates. Rhett keeps his eyes on the man and the officers as they exchange words, the officers trying to convince the man to drop his weapon.

My mind reels, flashes of a memory I wasn’t there to witness, but one conjured in my mind cause my breath to come quick and shallow. I feel myself panicking, the world around me dimming and darkening. Large hands suddenly frame my face and I hear Rhett’s muffled voice trying to talk to me, but it is too hard to understand.

“LINK!”

I feel my body being shaken violently and I snap out of it. Rhett is looking at me with wide eyes, “Link just breathe baby it’s okay now.” Rhett’s voice is low and deep, controlled with the intent to calm.

My chest feels heavy and my eyes are wet from the tears streaming down my face as well as the rain. I blink rapidly trying to calm down. “Link, hey, breathe with me.” I look back up to Rhett and watch as he breathes in deeply and slowly through his nose, then exhaling slowly and calmly through his mouth. I follow suit and match his breathing. Within moments I feel a bit better, my chest seems more open and I no longer feel like the world is slipping out from under me.

Rhett pulls me to him and hugs me fiercely. I grip back just as tightly and feel immensely better. An officer interrupts us, checking on us to see if we are okay. They take us to the station nearby and take our statements, after some time they tell us the man had just robbed a place and they had already been on his trail. They tell us to head home, not needing anything further from us.

The drive back home is full of silence as I cannot fathom what I could possibly say. My worst nightmare almost happened for a second time. I grip Rhett’s hand and do not let go during the whole drive. Rhett is sweet, not pushing me to talk, understanding somehow that I need time to think. He holds my hand just as tightly, conveying to me that he is here with me whenever I am ready.

By the time we get back to my Café it is already darkening outside, the rain having slowed down since the late afternoon. I get out of the car and make my way stiffly to the door, unlocking it and waiting for Rhett to come inside. He silently walks in closing the door behind him. He places a hand on my shoulder and turns me to face him. My face must give away all the things I’m feeling, hurt, pain and an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

Rhett gathers me up in his arms and peppers my face with sweet kisses. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from coming again. Rhett silently locks the front door and takes my hand, leading us upstairs. He leads me to the sofa and sets me down, “Link, I’m going to get a couple towels for us, we should dry off, so we don’t get sick, okay?” I manage to nod at him and he offers a sad smile, straightening up and heading into my bedroom where the bathroom is located.

Rhett comes back in quickly, gently placing a fluffy clean towel on my lap. He removes his shoes and socks, I shake myself out of my funk enough to do the same. I rub the towel on my head, drying off my hair as much as I can before I feel the words I need to say trying to claw their way out of my mouth.

I grip tightly onto the towel as I spill the events that ripped away my happiness and took away my best friend. I keep my eyes shut as I tell Rhett, unable to look at him or anything else while I pour my heart out.

“Lucas and I had gotten into a small argument on the morning of the day he died, it was just something petty and small about costs and things. He had plans to take Jade out to the city for her birthday, he promised to take her sightseeing and shopping that afternoon.” I pause for a moment, needing a second to take a deep breath and collect myself, it's been years since I’ve spoken about it out loud.

Rhett gently touches my shoulder and I look up to him, he hands me a small glass of water and I take it gratefully. He rubs my arm briefly before settling back down, patiently waiting for me to go on.

I set the half empty glass back down and continue, “He left upset with me before we got it settled. I had tried to text him once he left asking him to please not worry about it, but he never responded. I spent that morning and afternoon kicking myself for letting him leave mad, we promised each other we would never go to sleep angry and I felt like that applied to leaving for the day as well.”

I run my hand through my black hair trying to prepare myself for the next part. Rhett reaches over and rubs my shoulder, I look over to him and I feel the need to be wrapped in his arms. I unbutton my shirt and toss it on the floor. Rhett gets the idea and peels off his wet shirt as well, throwing it onto the floor alongside mine. I stand up and strip off my pants, keeping on my briefs. Rhett does the same, he lays back down on the sofa and spreads himself across it, arms open.

I lay down on top of him and we both adjust ourselves until I’m slotted onto him comfortably. He drapes the blanket that lays on top of my sofa over us, giving us a small amount of warmth and comfort.

“The hours went by and it got later and later. I tried to text him and after not getting any response I tried Jade. It was another couple of hours before I heard back from her. She called me and as soon as I answered the phone I knew something horrible happened. She couldn’t even speak, just started to cry. A police officer got on the line and explained to me what happened. Lucas and Jade got jumped by someone, the guy tried to rob them. The man tried to go after Jade, but Lucas pushed her out of the way and Lucas was stabbed. Someone nearby screamed as well as Jade and the man panicked and took off. Lucas didn’t make it, they tried to save him, but it was too late.”

I bury my face in Rhett’s neck and sob, my heart feeling like it’s breaking all over again. Today's event reminded me too much of what happened to Lucas and I just couldn’t hold it in any more. Rhett kisses my head and squeezes me, whispering that he’s sorry and to just let it out.

I must have dozed off, I open my eyes to the feeling of Rhett’s hand stroking my back, his chest is warm and comforting. I look up to Rhett and find him sleepily watching me. He searches my eyes for a moment before gently grasping my chin and kissing me fully on the mouth. A fire ignites inside me and I kiss him back like it’s the last thing I’ll ever do.

Rhett's hands slide all over my body, into my hair down my back and over my ass. He gently pulls my hair and squeezes my rear and all I can do is whimper and roll my hips onto him. I thread my own fingers through his curly locks and force his lips apart with my tongue. We kiss fervently, our tongues colliding, our breath puffing against each others lips in harsh bursts.

Feeling slightly crazed I lift away from him and stand, pulling down my briefs and throwing them off to the side. My arousal is firm and long, I watch Rhett and he stares at my naked body, his eyes lingering on my groin. I quickly make my way to the bedroom and rip open my night stand drawer snatching out the bottle of lube and condoms I have and rush back to the living room. I find Rhett has already removed his boxers and is half laying down unsure what he should do.

I move to the sofa and push his shoulders until he's sitting up, feet flat on the floor. I stand in front of him and uncap the lubricant, coating a couple of my fingers, never taking my eyes off of his. Rhett’s chest rises and falls harshly has he watches me. I toss the bottle and condoms onto the sofa and immediately reach behind myself, I start to insert one finger and the feeling makes my eyes flutter.

I close my eyes briefly as I begin to open myself up, rubbing at my insides and eagerly getting a second finger in as soon as I'm able. I find myself become more and more frantic wanting, no, needing to feel Rhett inside of me. Desperately needing to feel this man that I love moving inside me as he loses himself in the feel of me.

The feeling of something wet closing around my member makes my eyes snap open and a gasp escape from my throat. I look down and find Rhett's mouth on me, he glances up and the hunger I find in his eyes almost brings me to my knees. I thread my free hand through his hair and grip tightly, needing something to hold onto as well as something to keep me from coming undone before I'm ready. I continue to thrust my fingers deeper inside myself while also thrusting inside Rhett's warm mouth. I try my best not to accidently gag him, but the few times I do he seems to be able to handle it, continuing on and even going deeper, swallowing around me and making me see stars.

I suddenly find myself so close that I quickly grip tighter onto his hair and gently pull myself from his wet, perfect mouth. He looks up at me from his place on the floor, gasping and wiping the drool away from the corners of his mouth. I remove my fingers and wipe them off on one of the towels nearby, Rhett quickly sits back down on the sofa and snaps up a condom placing it on his own rigid arousal. He quickly slicks up his member with lube and looks back up to me. I take a deep breath and crawl onto the sofa, my knees framing his hips. I sit myself up and grip onto the back of his neck. He tries to pour some of the lube onto my hand but I stop him, “No Rhett, I want you to do it.” He takes a shaky breath and pours a generous amount onto a few of his fingers, he reaches behind me and slicks up my entrance, pushing a couple fingers inside me to try to ease the way as much as possible.

Once I'm satisfied I lean down and kiss his lips, his beard is soft and now smells musky and slightly sweaty. He wipes his fingers on the towel before placing his hands on my hips. I lean back a bit and reach for his member, lining it up with myself before slowly steadily sinking down onto his length. It’s been so long since I've done this, I've used fingers in the last couple months on myself but it's nothing compared to the real thing. He is thick, he stretches me open in a way I don't think I ever have been and it makes me wince but the slight sting quickly becomes pleasure in the best way.

It’s only a moment or two before I’m full, seated on his lap, his arousal fully inside me and it feels like my whole body wants to come apart at the seams. I crack my eyes open and find Rhett staring right at me, he's breathing slowly and steadily no doubt trying to hold back. I place my hands on his beautiful face and kiss him tenderly. He looks slightly surprised at first, but eagerly returns the favor. His lips caressing mine and his tongue sweetly tasting my lips. I slightly wiggle my hips and determine now should be good.

I break away from the kiss and keep his face nose to nose with mine and stare right into his beautiful grey-green eyes. I draw him out of me just slightly and then sink back down, he immediately sucks in a breath and a small low moan escapes his tightly closed lips. The reaction he gives sends a rush through me and I suddenly want nothing more than to see him come utterly undone.

I move one hand to the back of his neck and the other to his shoulder, then I start to move in earnest. His hands grip tightly onto my hips as he is drawn in and out of me in long quick strokes, deep moans escaping from his mouth and cries escaping my own each time I sink back down onto him.

At one point I get up onto my feet and stay squatted above him and he angles himself better to ease the way and we both find a rough but perfect rhythm. We find our orgasms quickly approaching, both of us gasping and moaning aloud. Rhett's deep rough voice strains out, “Fuck Link, I’m right there!” The sound of his voice sends me right over, I quickly grip onto myself and stroke just a few times before spilling over my fist and letting it drip onto his stomach. I watch Rhett as his eyes slightly roll back in his head and his grip on my hips becomes bruising, he thrusts up into me only a few more times before his final thrust buries himself deep inside and he pulls my hips down forcing my ass to stay planted onto him.

I feel his body quiver and shake as he releases inside the condom, his length pulsing and twitching. He lets out a few ragged breaths as he comes down from the high, releasing my hips gently, thumbs rubbing over the marks apologetically. My legs feel stiff as I move myself off to the side and collapse onto the sofa cushions, my legs draped over his.

I close my eyes and hear Rhett fussing about, my legs are gently lifted and placed back down on to the sofa cushions and I hear his footsteps become faint as he leaves the room. Rather suddenly I feel something slightly wet and cold touch my stomach and my eyes snap open to find Rhett back in his boxer and a damp towel in his hand currently resting it on my stomach. His hair looks slightly damp and I assume he must have grabbed a quick shower.

I smile at him he smirks back, continuing to wipe my body clean of most of the sweat and lube. Once he's done he helps me stand up on shaky legs, I lean down and grab my briefs and we head into the bedroom. I throw my briefs back on the ground and look up at him. He smiles and removes his boxers again, he grabs my hand and leads me over to my bed. We both pull back the comforter and sheet and tuck ourselves in.

I look over at him as he snuggles in and find my heart clench, I’m finally looking over and seeing someone else in bed with me. No longer will I have to look over and see a cold, empty space. I reach over and gently caress his cheek, “Rhett, I…” He places his hand over mine and looks at me like I'm the only thing in the world worth looking at and it steals my breath away.

He slowly comes closer and sweetly kisses me, “Hey...” I open my eyes and look at him, question clear on my face. He kisses my forehead and gently, “I love you Link.”

End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Repost* Thank you Mythical-butt for helping beta read this chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> *Repost*


End file.
